Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 April 1887 — Periodic Drouths. [ARTICLE]

Periodic Drouths.

Mr. D. M. Lathrop, in an essay on “Forestry’ and Its Advocates,” in the Gardners' Monthly, referring to the statement that the destruction of woodland may sometimes dry up brooks, replies that he has never known a ease and quotes from an essay on the “Forest Interests of Massachusetts” by W. C. Strong, read before the Horticultural Society of that State in 1880. The paper referred to shows that periodic droughts have been severe since the settlement of the country. In speaking of the great crops the early forefathers raised from their new soil and the influence from the surrounding wilderness Mr. Strong observes: It is true we read of their occasional failure by reason of drouths; and it is certain that drouths occurred then as well as now. But in judging of their frequency and intensity we are to bear in mind that the plowing of early days was the merest scratching of the surface, that little of no retentive manure was used, and that at the present day and 'under such conditions our crops would prove uniform failures. Upon this Mr. Lathrop says: . With all due respect for the gentleman’s opinion, I think he is in error in regard to their intensity (if not their frequency), and cannot shift the evil to shallow plowing. In a diary of James Blake, of Dorchester, Mass., recording events of 1749 (Annals of Dochester), he observes: “This Summer was the Severest Drouth in this Country as has ever been‘known in ye Memory of ye oldest Persons among us. * * * By ye latter end of May ye grass was burnt up so that ye ground looked white; and it was ye 6th Day of July before any Bain (to speak of) came, * * * Many Wells, Springs, Brooks & small River 3 ■were dried up that were never known to fail before. And ye Fish in some of ye Bivers died. The Pastures were so scorched that there was nothing green to be seen, and tlie Cattle waxed poor, and by their lowing seemed to call upon their Owners for Belief, who could not help them. Although the Grass was Eaten so close as there was but a few thin spices to be seen, yet several Pastures took fire and burnt fiercely.” On his own land, which caught accidentally, the fire “blazed and flashed like Gun Powder, and run very fast along the ground. * * * Where there was lumps of Cowdung, it would burn till ye whole lump was Consumed, & burn a hole in ye ground. ” On the 6th of July rain came, and afterwards there was a sufficient quantity, so that the lands looked green again, and there was a good harvest. If such a fearful and destructive drouth could occur with a surrounding wilderness, where shall we look for succor to-day ? ■